Conventional bicycle stands usually consist of a mounting bracket and an elongated, rigid supporting arm which is disposable in a retracted position or an extended position in which the lower extremity of the arm engages the adjacent ground surface. Such arms are conventionally pivotally mounted on the mounting bracket.
Recent innovations in bicycle technology, particularly the mountain bike, raise questions as to the utility and safety of the above-described bicycle stand. This is due to the fact that mountain bikes are built for rough terrain and, frequently, conventional bicycle stands have the supporting arm dislodged because of the jarring to which the mountain bike is subjected, resulting in severe injury to the rider or, at the very least, damage to the bike.
The art also teaches the provision of rigid, axially-extendable, spring-biased or spring-retractable bicycle stands having elongated supporting arms extensible from a corresponding tubular or other housing.
Various other types of bicycle stands are disclosed in the following U.S. Letters Patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 355,413 Read Jan. 4, 1887 576,346 Jerome, et al. Feb. 2, 1897 607,395 Hunt Jul. 12, 1898 635,618 Weyde Oct. 24, 1899 1,962,547 Zerk Jun. 12, 1934 4,288,090 Muller Sep. 8, 1981 4,819,957 Printy Apr. 11, 1989 ______________________________________
However, none of the prior art bicycle stands is of a compact construction adapted to be incorporated in a relatively small housing or mounted on a relatively small support easily attached to the desired location on the frame of the bicycle and being retracted so that accidental dislodgment is precluded.